The main photo gives away some of the build progression up front but, it turned out too nice not to use right up front. Below are photos of how the scene plays out as well as some detailed shots. Hope you enjoy.

Gandalf touches the smooth rock wall between the trees...

slowly, faint lines appear like slender veins of luminous silver running through the stone. Itidin...it mirrors only starlight and moonlight.

Merry and Pippin are tossing stones into the lake. Black Rippling rings slowly fan out. Pippin is about to throw another stone, but Aragorn grabs his arm. Do not disturb the water.

It's a riddle... Gandalf raises his eyebrows... Speak, friend, and enter. What's the Elvish for friend? Oh...mellon. With that, the rock face silently divides in the middle and two great Doors swing outwards... revealing a blackness deeper than the night. As the Fellowship enter the Blackness, something in the water stirs....

So, master elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the dwarves; roaring fires, malt beer, red meat off the bone. This, my friend, is the home of my cousin, Balin...and they call this a Mine...A mine!

A Glow from Gandalf's Staff suddenly lights the chamber...The Fellowship recoil in Horror! Many dwarf Skeletons are strewn about, clearly the dead of some old battle...the rusting armor and shields are peppered with arrows and axes.

This is no mine...it's a tomb!

Meanwhile...Frodo is suddenly PULLED TO THE GROUND. A long sinuous Tentacle is wrapped around Frodo's ankle and is dragging him towards the lake. FRODO CRIES OUT as Aragorn and Boromir rush forward!

Quoting Martin Geistefeldt
Josh my friend, until now I was not sure what to say. I liked your creation right as I saw it, it's overall look and feeling are just amazing. We went about this challenge in two totally different ways, and eventually the way I have chosen has been determined to be the better one. We both know how close this call was and I would have totally granted you to make it into round 3. I hope that you had as much fun in this contest as I had, and maybe someday we'll meet again in a contest round. I'm really looking forward to see your next creations.
~Martin :D

Quoting Martin Geistefeldt
Josh my friend, until now I was not sure what to say. I liked your creation right as I saw it, it's overall look and feeling are just amazing. We went about this challenge in two totally different ways, and eventually the way I have chosen has been determined to be the better one. We both know how close this call was and I would have totally granted you to make it into round 3. I hope that you had as much fun in this contest as I had, and maybe someday we'll meet again in a contest round. I'm really looking forward to see your next creations.
~Martin :D

Josh my friend, until now I was not sure what to say. I liked your creation right as I saw it, it's overall look and feeling are just amazing. We went about this challenge in two totally different ways, and eventually the way I have chosen has been determined to be the better one. We both know how close this call was and I would have totally granted you to make it into round 3. I hope that you had as much fun in this contest as I had, and maybe someday we'll meet again in a contest round. I'm really looking forward to see your next creations.
~Martin :D

Quoting Mark Murphy
As the other two judges have said, this is a close call. I am going to vote for your opponent though, his build is cleaner, and he did the battle, and not just waiting at the gates, your interior is much better, but I thought his was better done.

Thanks Mark! I'm sure you will have much harder decisions in the upcoming rounds.

As the other two judges have said, this is a close call. I am going to vote for your opponent though, his build is cleaner, and he did the battle, and not just waiting at the gates, your interior is much better, but I thought his was better done.

Quoting Christopher Baldacci
The closest call I've had to make...it'll be a shame to see either of you two go. Yet even though you interior was better, your opponent presented a well thought out artistic masterpiece, with wickedly difficult angles, SNOT, and a creature (which in my opinion is harder than just 'brick on brick' work.) So, with that in mind (although the vastness of your creation and stellar foliage were enormously impressive) his refined MOC won my vote. And at a 1-1 tie...the third judge prepares...

Christopher,
Thanks for your comments, I certainly do not envy you judges and some of the tough call you have to make. Keep up the good work :)

Quoting Ian Spacek
This was a very difficult call to make. I went back and forth between the two builds numerous times. While I like Martin's rock-work a tad better, appreciate his clearer pictures, and am intrigued by his angled base and monster, you've got my vote Josh. I really like how you worked with foliage to give an aged look to your entire build. I also appreciate the spaciousness of your entry (Martin's looked a little too cluttered IMO), it helps capture the vastness of the walls of Moria. On the subjected of Moria, I like your interior better too (very "tomb" like) and the use of the white arch pieces. Once again, it was a very tough call. This could still go either way. Good luck with the other two judges!

Ian,
Thanks for the feedback and more-so, for the tremendous amount of work you put into this contest!

The closest call I've had to make...it'll be a shame to see either of you two go. Yet even though you interior was better, your opponent presented a well thought out artistic masterpiece, with wickedly difficult angles, SNOT, and a creature (which in my opinion is harder than just 'brick on brick' work.) So, with that in mind (although the vastness of your creation and stellar foliage were enormously impressive) his refined MOC won my vote. And at a 1-1 tie...the third judge prepares...

This was a very difficult call to make. I went back and forth between the two builds numerous times. While I like Martin's rock-work a tad better, appreciate his clearer pictures, and am intrigued by his angled base and monster, you've got my vote Josh. I really like how you worked with foliage to give an aged look to your entire build. I also appreciate the spaciousness of your entry (Martin's looked a little too cluttered IMO), it helps capture the vastness of the walls of Moria. On the subjected of Moria, I like your interior better too (very "tomb" like) and the use of the white arch pieces. Once again, it was a very tough call. This could still go either way. Good luck with the other two judges!

Quoting David the Fire Ninja Jedi
Wow, this is awesome! The pictures aren't the best, but the build is incredible! The vines, the water, the tree, the rocks, awesome! I like the thing hanging from the roof of the cave.

David, Thanks for the kind words! I do need to work on my photography skills...or lack there of :) The thing hanging from the roof was supposed to be a chandelier, it turned out a little weird though.

Amazing work on this! The mountain itself is great and I love the foliage in it. I like the cutaway of the interior but it's two scenes I.M.O. I wish the photos were larger, too. Great job and good luck!